 Tasting Litto Gomez’s famed La Flor Dominicana lines
Los Angeles, September 23 – It was just another booth at another Retail Tobacco Dealers of America (RTDA) show in the mid-1990s. Litto Gomez was there to show off his new brand from the Dominican Republic, Los Libertadores.
The cigars were good, but the name had to be changed for trademark reasons and La Flor Dominicana was born.
Since then, Gomez and his wife Ines have created an enviable reputation for fine cigars and unique innovations which have made it a favorite with connoisseurs. We decided to check out the whole line:
La Flor Dominicana 2000 Series:
[Available in 6 sizes]
Introduced in advance of the Millennium, this is a medium-to-full-bodied blend with a slightly sweet aroma and an excellent draw.
There’s a definite caramel flavor at the start, but it’s mellow and relaxed with a sweet finish. There’s also a note of spice, which strikes a balance with the sweetness, but never overtakes it.
Very well made, it’s easy to smoke and easy to enjoy.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero:
[Available in 6 sizes]
Here is Gomez’s calling card, introduced in 2003 and which set the cigar world on its ear.
The blend is only part of the story, but it’s delicious, with a full-bodied presence and a rich flavor.
But the headlines are reserved for the three amazing Chisel shapes in this line, which offer the smoker essentially a mouthpiece created in tobacco! Shaped exactly like it sounds, the only downside to this achievement in craftsmanship is that it’s easy to bite down on the end, restricting the flow. With too much pressure, the end can fray and become messy. But that doesn’t mean it’s not attractive . . . and remarkable.
What about the cigar? A generous caramelized flavor greets you with considerable power and there’s a long, caramelized finish as well.
As you toy with the best way to handle the chiseled tip, there’s an increasing level of complexity in the taste in mid-course as a note of spice emerges on the throat.
The taste becomes more balanced between spice and sweetness in the second half, but is never aggressive or bitter and leaves you satisfied as to the quality and the novelty of this cigar.
Overall grade: A: Exceptional.
La Flor Dominicana Ligero:
[Available in 3 sizes]
This blend is offered in natural and maduro wrappers in three different sizes, all of which deliver considerable flavor in a medium-to-full-bodied blend.
The flavor rich and caramelized, with a spicy aroma that makes the cigar seem more full-bodied than it actually is. There’s just a note of spice underneath the dominant sweet theme.
Very well constructed, the flavors are not aggressive, but very present in the mouth yet mellow and satisfying.
Spice elements become more prominent in mid-course, creating a sometimes tangy balance, but the richness of the flavor is steady until well into the second half. Because of this progression, the Ligero doesn’t tire you out as you near the end Well thought out and very well blended.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
La Flor Dominicana Premium Line:
[Available in 8 sizes]
Gomez rearranged his lines in 2005 to make more sense, grouping the same blends together as in this (original) line, which comprises his named shapes (Alcalde, Insurrectos, Maceo, Mambises and Macheteros) and the three Grand Maduro shapes (Nos. 5, 6 and 7).
These cigars exhibit a spicy aroma and the impact of the Mexican-grown maduro wrappers are instantly recognizable on the Grand Maduro shapes. It’s full in body, especially the Grand Maduros, but the taste balances a clear spiciness with a gentle undertone of sweetness.
The medium finish is sweet and the flavor is easy to appreciate. You’ll feel the spice more strongly in the second half – especially on the throat – but it’s all under control.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
La Flor Dominicana Reserva Especial:
[Available in 7 sizes]
This group includes the stunning El Jocko perfectos, one of the first on the market in the Cigar Boom period, the two Tubos shapes and four named shapes, the Belicosos (a torpedo), Churchill, Figurados (a pyramid) and Robusto.All are clearly identified by the second band marked “Reserva Especial.”
This is a medium-to-full-bodied blend, with a slightly spicy aroma and a lightly spiced taste that leaves just a tickle on the throat.
It smokes very slowly, so you can enjoy the combination of spice and some sweetness which emerges throughout the cigar. Contrary to the other blends, the sweet element takes a stronger role in the second half, although the flavors as not as strongly highlighted as in the other lines.
Overall grade: B: Good.
Gomez has succeeded in creating an enviable line of brilliantly made, well thought out cigar which have created his reputation as a star cigar maker. His latest line, the Litto Gomez Diex, celebrates the tenth year of Premium Imports and La Flor Dominicana and will be the subject of a future tasting.
For now, consider the quality that absolute dedication can bring in construction, complexity of flavor and innovation that has made the La Flor Dominicana line so widely respected. Given an opportunity – especially in one of their pre-packaged samplers – Litto and his La Flor Dominicana blends will not disappoint you.
~ Rich Perelman
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
